Part 2: I'm Sick of "Christians".... Not Living and Loving Like Jesus

As most gospel stories, the passages that I encountered today were familiar to me. I’ve grown up hearing them taught in Sunday school. I’ve grown up reading them. But this morning some new things that I'd never realized before hit me as I read this passage.

There are three characters that I want to introduce you too:

Simon Peter: A fisherman also known as "a very poor man."

Levi: A tax collector also known as "a known thief."

Pharisees: The righteous of righteous according to the Jews.

In the beginning of Luke 5 we find Jesus going into Simon Peter’s boat to get away from the crowds and have some fresh air to stand up and teach to them. Since the chapter before when he started healing people, his fame began to spread and people started coming from all over to hear him and get healed. After Jesus finishes teaching the crowds from the boat, he leans over to Peter and tells him to cast his nets into the water. Imagine what is going on in Peter’s mind when Jesus tells him this. Oh wait, Peter shares what he is thinking, “Master, we toiled all night and took nothing! But at your word I will let down the nets.”

Jesus is just starting his ministry, but news about him has already spread all across town. Everyone knows what he has been up too. Peter knows Jesus has been on a healing spree. Everyone knows that there is something unique and extraordinary about this man. So Peter listens to the carpenter and lowers his nets. And as he does so, the nets get so full they start breaking, they bring another boat over and fill both boats so full of fish that they both begin sinking. Do you know what Peter’s response to Jesus is after this happens?

“Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord.” Why does he respond this way to fish filling two boats? Because at this moment, Peter knows who this man is standing in his boat.

But Jesus doesn’t depart. He turns and says to Peter, “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men.”

You see what happens here, Peter finds himself in the presence of Jesus, the Holy Son of God and says what every sane human being should say if they encounter such Holiness and perfection, “I am a sinner!” But Jesus doesn’t dwell on this statement, for He’s quite aware of Peter’s sinfulness. Instead He tells him not to be afraid and tells Him he will be used in the Kingdom of God!

This is what is amazing: God loves to use sinful men like Peter and like you for the advancement of His kingdom.

But it doesn’t end here in verse 11 it says, “And when they had brought their boats to land, they left everything and followed him.”

You see it’s impossible to actually encounter the Holy Son of God and not have your life completely turned upside down. Simon Peter realizes he is a sinner when he finds himself in the presence of God, but then three verses later he’s giving up his occupation and all he has known in life to follow Jesus.

A few verses later in verse 27 we come to our second character, Levi. Jesus says two simple yet life-changing words to the tax collector, “follow me!”

Do you know what Levi’s response was? Verse 28 says, “And leaving everything, he rose and followed him.”

Levi, a tax collector who is known as a thief and a sinner in that day and time, leaves all that he does in a split second to follow Jesus. Why? Cause he encountered Jesus, the Holy Son of God. And when he encounters this, he sees a hope he can’t get from stealing from people. He sees something that is worth giving up all that he has known or done.

But the story doesn’t end there with Levi. He didn’t just leave everything, he went home with Jesus and “made a great feast in his house, and there was a large company of tax collectors and others reclining at table with them.”

Levi can’t keep Jesus to himself. He wants others to encounter the Jesus that just set him free from his stealing. You see, when you really encounter Jesus and the hope you can get from him, you want everyone around you to experience that hope too.

This is the part of the story that our third and final character joins us. Do you know what the Pharisees say to Jesus in verse 30? They ask Jesus, “‘Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?”

If you read my last blog post, you know I’ve been wrestling with the way American Christians and Churches are living and acting today. This is why! It seems that it’s such a rarity to be eating and drinking with tax collectors and sinners. It seems as if churches and Christians often think like the Pharisees, “Really? You’re hanging out with them?”  It’s so easy for a church to become so inward focused and so focused on their problems that they forget their biggest problem is already taken care of.

They forget what it was like to encounter Jesus for the first time. They think about themselves and their problems and not about the dying world around them.

You see Jesus loves to use weak human beings to do His work. He wants to use you.

Whenever I make my way through any of the gospels in the bible. It’s really uncomfortable. I’m constantly running into these Pharisees that are trying to destroy Jesus, because they think they “know” what is right!

But it’s also uncomfortable because I keep running into Jesus, the Son of God teaching some of the hardest truths known to mankind.

 

Look at what Jesus says in the next chapter in 5:22, “Blessed are you when people hate you and when they exclude you and revile you and spurn your name as evil, on account of the Son of Man!”

You see, we have a hope that can only be experienced in Jesus. But this hope doesn't promise a comfortable life. Jesus says you will be blessed when those around you revile, exclude, spurn and hate you! See Jesus experienced all of this as he walked on this earth and as he hung upon that cross to die for your sins. We are called to imitate Jesus and we know we are imitating Him when we are spit upon for our faith.

This is what I often struggle with about the American "Christian" and "Church" culture.  We've seemed to lose sight of what really being a disciple entails. It's not promising a comfortable life, it's not promising a perfect life of happiness. It's promising you the hope of eternal life with your Savior, but before that its commanding you to forsake all you have and know for the sake of God's Kingdom. It's commanding you to "go therefore and make disciples of all nations!" (Matthew 28)

Peter and Levi realized that hope came with a price. You gain forgiveness from your sins and you gain eternal life. But, you also gain a life of hatred. Advancing the kingdom can often be hard work, the very people you want to know Jesus will often end up hating you and wanting you dead. Being a disciple is hard work. It's not an easy life of comfort.

Levi is believed to have lost his life as a martyr.

Peter lost his life on a cross for proclaiming the Kingdom of God boldly.

Are you really willing to be hated? Are you willing to lose your life for the sake of the advancement of the God's kingdom? If not, being a disciple of Jesus probably isn't for you.

(I would love to hear your thoughts. Don't hesitate to comment below.)

I'm Sick of "Christians".... Not Living and Loving Like Jesus

Yesterday I posted the following quote on my Facebook wall, “If you're an American 'Christian.' And you feel "called" to stay in America. Wake up and start obeying Jesus and actually living and loving like Him.”

I want to clarify that statement because some people responded to me with an “Amen brother!” And others responded with a, “I totally disagree.”

I left a comment below my post in response to someone’s comment that I believe sums up what I was trying to say, “My point was, if you feel like God is calling you to America, then actually start reaching the lost here! Start going to the hood and to the poor people and love on them like Jesus. My point is, don't use the 'there are lost people in America too' as an excuse to just stay in the America and pursue the American dream like so many 'christians' do.”

Before I go on, I really am not trying to bash followers of Jesus. I’m not trying to declare or force anything upon anyone. But I want to challenge what I believe is the majority of the “Christian” body in America to start acting like Christ. A lot of people have and will continue to label me as young and zealous, and say its just a season that I’ll get past. I pray this is not true. I pray that I never cease to be zealous to desire "christians" to live like Jesus.

This was Paul' heart when he challenged the Corinthians to "Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ." (1 Corinthians 11:1)

Two nights ago I couldn’t sleep. I tossed and turned for hours.

My heart was broken thinking about the images I had seen in South Asia this past summer. But my heart was broken even more for the American "church." I wept thinking about the millions of people I saw this past summer who will spend eternity damned and separated from the God who created them.

I’m going to be honest with you where I’m at right now, so buckle up:

I’m sick of the way most American “churches” and “Christians” act.

I’m sick of the way American “churches” and “Christians” are perceived by the world around us as hateful.

I’m sick of the way “churches” meet on Sundays and then live their lives contentedly when there are poor people down the road that need to hear about Jesus.

I’m sick of “churches” and “Christians” arguing over whose theology is right.

I’m sick of “churches” who split over stupid things and won't talk to fellow brother's and sisters because they are offended.

I’m sick of “Christians” that live contentedly their whole lives pursuing the American dream in their comfortable “Christian” communities when down the street from them there are those that are hurting and across the ocean from them there are billions of souls being damned to hell with no chance of ever hearing the gospel.

I’m sick of people that call themselves a “Christian” yet don’t act like Christ in the least bit.

I’m sick of “Christians” not taking the word of God seriously.

Have you read the gospels lately? Where did Jesus ever act like one of the above scenarios?

Read Philippians 2:1-11. That's how Jesus acted.

As a believer we have the one thing that can bring eternal hope to the dying world around us, yet we often close the doors to our churches and homes to those that are hurting and in need.

Over the last two days as I've written research papers and read books for school. There are images that flooded my mind two nights ago that won't leave.

Images of the temples and mosques where I encountered thousands of people worshipping false gods.

Images of beggars that had no arms and legs sitting on the side of the road with no hope.

Images of the kids in the slums that had no clothes and who had diseases all over their skins that had never experienced earthly love.

Images of the street kids who had no parents and lived by collecting garbage from the sewers.

As much as these images weigh on my heart, I'm grateful for them because they give me a perspective on life that I didn't have before.

At 1AM the other night, I left my house to go walk. It was raining, so I took an umbrella and just walked crying out to God to wake those up around me to start living like Jesus. But I also prayed possibly the hardest prayer of my life.

“God, I pray you will never let me be content.”

You see I don’t ever want to be content with material things.

I don’t ever want to be content when millions and billions of people that live around me are going to be damned for all of eternity.

I'm often portrayed as thinking it is wrong to stay in America. I want to clear this up. I’m not saying it’s wrong to stay in America. But staying in America doesn't mean you don't live and love like Jesus did!

We must never be so content to with our lives that we forget about the family that lives down the road with no food. 

We must never be so content that we come home from a job and stay in our house 7 nights a week when a few miles away there are girls selling their bodies to make enough to feed their families.

Today I came across an article that was titled, "Why millenials are leaving the church" It made some really good points about fellow brothers and sisters that are seeing the way “churches” are acting doesn’t line up with the way Jesus lived.

But, I’m praying my generation of fellow brothers and sisters will be remembered not by those that left the church. But are remembered as those who actually lived like Jesus. I pray we are remembered as those who opened their hands, homes, churches and hearts to those that live next door to them. I pray we are remembered as those who weren't afraid to give up everything, even their lives to bring hope and life to those that live thousands of miles across the sea.

Oh Lord, allow us never to be content. Wake the church up to start living and loving like Jesus did. 

I would love to hear your thoughts. Please don't hesitate to comment below.

Hey Miley Cyrus, We Will Stop!

I was driving down the interstate this morning with my radio on, it was a catchy beat. All of a sudden I stopped thinking about what I had to do today and gave my full attention to the lyrics of the song that was on. It was Miley Cyrus' song “We Can’t Stop.” I’ve definitely heard the song before, but never payed attention to what it was actually saying. As I listened, I started to feel sick in my stomach.

A couple weeks ago I read an article that Trevin Wax put out titled "I Weep for Miley" following her VMA performance. I thought it was a fantastic response. But now that we are almost a month away from that act, I must admit I hadn't thought much about it. That week there seemed to be so many emotions flying around the internet and blog world. I read some blogs that were angered that it was allowed on TV, some that were saddened by the fact that Hannah Montana is no longer Hannah Montana, and some that started to despair that our culture was so broken and messed up that we’re doomed.

Whatever your emotions were, they most likely have started to dissipate over the last couple weeks. Maybe you haven’t even thought about Miley or those emotions at all. I know for me, the busyness of life, school and work I haven’t thought about them once until this morning when I turned my radio on....

The first verse went like this….

It's our party we can do what we want
It's our party we can say what we want
It's our party we can love who we want
We can kiss who we want
We can sing what we want

Hold up. Read that again. Do you understand why I started to feel sick?

As much as I agree with Trevin Wax weeping for Miley and the World. I must make some confessions.

I confess I’ve played a part in this fallen world.

I must confess that instead of standing up for what I know is right. I have helped support the mindset that Miley explicitly states in this song.

Oh and I must confess that I’ve felt emotionally sad about where our culture is headed, but not done enough to push back against it.

People, our culture didn’t start declining with Miley Cyrus. But she is a prime example of what our culture and society believes these days. 

How often instead of fighting against these things, do we as believers just go along with the flow? How often instead of saying “enough!” do we drive down the highway singing along to the lyrics of songs like these or sit in our bedrooms glued to a screen that idolizes sex?

I actually want to thank Miley Cyrus. Why?

Because, with her putting out songs that state, “we can do whatever we want!” we have lyrics and music that help us clearly see what the people in America believe.

With her prancing around the stage at the VMA’s, we have a closer image of what has entrapped billions of human beings online in pornography.

I want to thank Miley, because she has re-awakened me. She has reminded me that because of Jesus, I actually have hope and I don't have to do what my flesh wants.

The end of her song goes like this…

And we can't stop
And we won't stop
We run things, things don't run we
Don't take nothing from nobody

I have good news that is the complete opposite of this….

We can stop! Me must stop! 

If you committed to living and following Jesus, you committed to honor Him in all you do!

I’ve confessed I’ve fallen short to honoring Him in so many ways. All you have to do is look at my testimony here, to see that I’ve fallen short and dishonored Him. Today though I'm not just confessing, I’m committing to no longer sitting back and watching our culture decay and rot. But I'm committed to bringing the only light that can cover the darkness that has taken over our culture. I know that our culture can only be saved by the grace of God. He sent His one and only Son to die for us for the very purpose of bringing hope to this world? It is the only hope that our culture has.

So will you join me? Will you confess your weaknesses and acknowledge that the grace of God is the only thing that can save our “we can do what we want,” pornographic, drunken, drug filled culture?

Will you join me in not only praying for our culture, but letting the light of Jesus shine through you brightly on a daily basis? Don’t believe the lies that our culture puts in front of us. But instead refute it with truth. Jesus is the only thing that can save our culture and He has invited us and commanded us to play a part. Will you deny Him and go along with the flow? Or will you obey and join Him and shine your light?

My Summer Abroad in a Third World Country

I’ve been back in America for a little over three weeks. If you did not know I spent the previous 2 and ½ months overseas in two Asian countries. As I’ve reflected the past few weeks on my summer and what I experienced I felt like I should share a few things on here.

I can’t go into specifics of exactly where I was for the safety of the national believers and workers that are there. But I want to give a little overview of the culture I was in.

I was in a country where I couldn’t walk more then a block and a half without seeing a mosque.

I was in a country where I couldn’t walk more then a block without seeing a beggar.

I was in a country where I couldn’t walk more then a block without seeing a building half built and just left there.

I was in a country where less then 1% of the population follows Jesus.

Thank you to everyone who generously supported my trip and enabled me to go this summer. It is only because of the grace of God that I was able to go these unreached villages and cities bearing the only Good News that can possibly bring life into their dying souls.

For 3 days a week, my friend and I would travel with two national brothers to many villages that had not only never seen white people, but had never heard the Good News. The lies of Islam and Hinduism have been running rampant in these villages for hundreds and in some cases thousands of years and we were able to sow seeds in these places for the first time. Although we did not see salvations personally in these villages, it was absolutely amazing to be able to share Bible stories and then give them parts of the Bible and tracts. Small seeds were planted in thousands of men and women's hearts that only God is able to grow!

 

Now, I’d be lying to you if I didn’t tell you how hard and uncomfortable it was to be constantly stared at and touched by hundreds of curious people wherever we went.

Oh and I’d be lying to you if I didn’t tell you that some days it took all of my strength to get out of bed and tons of strength from the Lord to leave my apartment to encounter the culture.

And, I’d be lying to you if I didn’t tell you about how it was difficult for me to eat the many things put in front of me that I had no idea what it was I was eating.

And yeah, I’d be lying to you if I didn’t tell you about the moment of vomiting in the bathroom or laying in bed with a fever that I longed for my bed back in America and a nice big juicy bacon cheeseburger from Red Robin.

 

But, the one thing I’d be lying to you the most about is if I told you it’s been easy for me to come back to America and re-engage with culture.

God definitely in my time grew in me a greater gratefulness for my upbringing and the fact that he saved me. But my heart has been forever broken and changed after encountering millions upon millions of people that not only are poor and dying in the physical sense. But that are poor and dying in their sin.The millions of people that I walked by and interacted with that if they don't repent and turn from their sins will spend eternity in hell.

Romans 1:19-20 says, “For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.”

I’ve always had a conviction off of this verse that there are millions if not billions of people out there in the world who are dying without ever hearing the gospel. But it took on a whole new meaning when I actually saw it with my own eyes. I lived this summer in a region of the world where every 2 seconds someone is dying and being damned to hell for eternity. It's one thing to talk about, it's another thing to see with your eyes.

Something else I learned in a more personal way this summer was that there is nothing in me that can get another person to change or make another person give their life to the Lord. It’s not about me seeing people being saved, although that is the goal of us sharing the Word of the Lord with them. But, it's primarily about me being faithful to the command and commission of God and going to these places and giving them the only Word that will be able to save their souls. As you do this, God will be faithful to His Word and many will come to know Jesus!

John 15:16, “You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go…”

If you are a believer, God not only chose you as his disciple. But He has appointed you and commissioned you as his disciple to go and make more disciples.

You don’t have to go across the world or to a third world country to make disciples. But I urge you to consider it. I urge you to ask the Lord if that’s what He wants you to do. I urge you to pray tonight, “Lord, I come before you with all my plans for my future pushed aside, lead me where YOU want me. I’m ready to go wherever YOU call me.”

If you know me personally, you know that my heart beats for the nations and missions. If you haven’t interacted with me since I’ve been back. Know this, my heart has grown ten times bigger this summer for the nations and I’d love to share with you more of what God has done! Feel free to email, call, text or even set up a time to get together with me for a cup of coffee. I’d love to tell you more personal stories from this summer.

An Invitation to Join Me This Summer

It's been a while since I've put a blog post up and this one is going to be short and too the point.

In 5 days, I start the biggest journey and adventure I've been on to this point in my life. I hop on a plane at 6 PM on May 21st and land in South Asia at 1:30 AM on May 23rd.

I will be spending my entire summer in places with little to no access to the message of our Father.

I invite you to join me this summer by praying for me. Because of security issues in the country I will be going too, I will not be updating this blog. But, I will be sending out some emails with updates.

I would love to include you in these updates so you can know more specific ways you can be praying for me and the team I will be with. Please let me know your email address in the comments section or shoot me an email at cjmaresco@gmail.com and tell me there.

Does the Bible Make You Uncomfortable?

I was having a conversation at lunch yesterday with a dear brother and as we talked about the Lord and what He was calling us too. As we talked, we started talking about the Word of God and just how truly uncomfortable it is. I was hit by how it truly makes does me feel uncomfortable. My mind started racing and the following question came to my mind, “Am I reading the same bible as those around me?”

Think about the following question for a second: When was the last time the bible made you feel uncomfortable? Has it ever made you uncomfortable? Are you confused at what I’m even getting after right now. Let me pose the question in another way.

When was the last time you did something so radical, so against what this world says is normal that someone pushed back on you? When was the last time you did something that had other people thinking, is he crazy? Is he okay? Because not only does the bible often demand its followers to do things that will have people around us saying, “what’s wrong with that dude?” The way Jesus lived, died and rose again in your place is reason enough to take God at His Word and do what it says. Jesus is worth it.

Do you live your life in that way? I’ve been studying the book of Mark recently and two things have stuck out to me:

1) Jesus is AMAZING and worth every ounce of my life.

2) I say I love Jesus and want to honor Him, but often the reality is the way I’m living isn’t following in his footsteps or obeying what He has called us to as his disciples.

I think we can so often overanalyze every little detail of Christianity. We have so many great thinkers of the faith; we have so many resources at the tips of our fingers that it makes it so easy to quickly stray away from the simplicity of the gospel and the great commission of our Savior.

Take a look at Mark 5 and the story of Jesus encountering a man filled with many demons. There’s no precise number, but the demon speaks to Jesus in the story and says, “My name is legion, for we are many.” These demons had complete control over this man. This man lived amongst the tombs because he was constantly cutting himself and when they tried to bind him, he would not only break the chains apart, “he broke the shackles in pieces.” He was a danger to society, he was a danger to those around him and because of this he lived out amongst dead people.

Now when Jesus came and cast the demons out of this man, the man’s response was one you and I probably would have. “He (the man) begged him (Jesus) that he might be with him.” Think back to the moment you repented of your sins and put your faith into Jesus. Wasn’t that a glorious time? You were made alive and given new life. I’ve seen a countless number of people give their lives to the Lord in the last couple years and each time there is a fire in them for the Lord that is beautiful. They just want to be with Jesus. Now when the man asks Jesus to go with him, Jesus doesn’t allow it. Instead, Jesus charged the man saying, “’Go home to your friends and tell them how much the Lord has done for you and how he has had mercy on you.’ And he went away and began to proclaim in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him, and everyone marveled.”

Did this man have any formal training? Did this man sit around making sure every part of him was ready before he obeyed what Jesus commanded him? No, he obeyed and did exactly what Jesus told him to do. This man had been saved from his biggest problem, and even though he didn’t get what he wanted, he knew whatever Jesus told him to do was worth it! Why? Because Jesus had given this man new life and this now demon-free man was willing to do anything for Him.

Would this be considered a bit weird today in our society? Would this be considered the “wise” thing to do?

Do you think you have to have everything in your life perfect in order to do something meaningful for the Lord? Well let me just be honest with you, you are going to be waiting 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70 more years. You’re going to be waiting until you are in the grave. Because you, brother or sister will never have everything perfect in your life; that is reality, that is truth, that is fact.

Is the Christian life wise at all? Think about what our God commands of all his followers in Luke 14:27, “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple.”

Does this verse make you feel nice and comfortable? This makes me horribly uncomfortable. I love my father and mother, I love my 4 brothers, I love my life. But Jesus says, I’ve got to hate them in order to be their disciple? Now, Jesus point isn’t literal hate.

His point is, “Has your family become an idol and more of a priority before me?”

Or it could, ‘Are you pursuing that job promotion more than you are pursuing me?”

Jesus left everything in heaven to live amongst us. Are you willing to leave everything you know in order to live amongst a people that have never heard of Jesus?

Another question to think about would be: Are you willing to drop all of your pursuits, dreams and life goals in order to take Jesus into a hostile place where you are not only not going to have DirecTV, but there’s a good chance you are going to die?

I believe The GREAT (not mediocre, not “maybe I’ll do this if I have time,” not “I’ll consider it.”) Commission from Jesus today is often made into a ministry at our churches. NO, it isn’t a ministry! It has to be at the core of the body of Christ! This has to be at the core of every disciple of Jesus. It’s how Jesus lived his life, and it’s what he has called us to.

Matthew 28:18-20, “And Jesus came and said to them, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.  And behold, I am with you always to the end of the age.”

Jesus, who has all authority, lived as human, died as a human on the cross and was rose from the dead deserves all the glory from all the peoples of this world.

Yet we disobey him so often, he commands us to “go therefore and make disciples of ALL nations.” But instead we decide to “stay henceforth and make disciples of my kids.”

We are neglecting the reality of the Kingdom of our Lord. Yes, God deserves the glory of your kids, yes you are called to “train them up in the ways of the Lord.” But that’s not the core of a disciple of Jesus. So when you or I decide to not “go therefore and make disciples of all nations,” we are deciding that we know better than the creator, sustainer and savior of the Universe.

Yes it can cause us to be uncomfortable to obey this. But the bible isn’t there to bring you comfort. It’s there to a) bring you forgiveness of your sins! And b) to kick your butt into action by telling you how to live as a disciple of Jesus!

Don’t believe the lie of this world that everything has to be in perfect order for you to follow Jesus to the ends of the world. Be like the man who was set free from the demon. You’ve been set free from something far greater than a demon, you’ve been set free from your sins! But just like the demon free man, step outside your comfort zone, and start obeying Jesus when he commands us to take the gospel to the ends of the world!

An Immediacy and Urgency to Jesus' Mission

Yesterday, I started a personal study in the book of Mark. I was immediately struck by the word "immediately." (See what I did there?) Well, this particular word was used at least 8 times within the very first chapter of Mark. As I thought about why this was, I thought about our culture and how we always seem to want the next thing. I know for myself that I am rarely content in the place that God has me and am always looking ahead to the next thing. I can so easily lose sight of the mission that Jesus has called me to as His disciple. I can know so many truths about God and His Word, yet I can so often neglect to live them out. 

So as I continued to study Mark 1, there seemed to be a purpose and urgency to Jesus’ mission while He was on earth that can so often evade us these days. Aren't we as his disciples called to emulate Jesus' example? 

This purpose started with Jesus calling his disciples by saying, "follow me!" How did the disciples respond to these words? They "immediately" left what they were doing and all that they had to follow Jesus.

When Jesus went into a synagogue, he "immediately" started teaching.

After he was done teaching, he "immediately" left and went to the next house and healed Simon and Andrew's mother's fever.

The following day, he didn't waste time. It says in verse 35, "And rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he departed and went out to a desolate place, and there he prayed."

Jesus was on a mission that was purposeful and urgent. He wasn't messing around. And the fact is, Jesus is still on a mission today through his disciples. But, can’t we often mess around and lack the purpose and urgency that we see Jesus display through the gospels?

I started asking myself today as I continued into chapter 2 and watched the way that Jesus had lunch with sinners. When was the last time I had lunch with a bunch of sinners? When was the last time I heard someone was sick and went over to their house to just be with them and pray for them? When was the last time I openly preached the gospel to a group of unsaved people? 

If you and I truly are called to emulate Jesus' example? Then why do we so often forget the urgency of His mission and so often neglect proclaiming his kingdom to those around us?

Remember that story about the men who remove the roof and lowered the paralyzed man down in front of Jesus? Why did they have to do that? Because, Jesus had opened his home up to anyone and his house was so full of sinners that no one could enter through the front door. 

Jesus surrounded himself with people that were in need not only of physical healing, but also more importantly he surrounded himself with people that were in need of salvation from their sins. 

Jesus gave up his throne in heaven to surround himself with sinners like you and I. Why did he "immediately" go from place to place? He wanted as many people as possible to experience the love of his heavenly Father. That's what we as His disciples should want as well. We should want other's to experience the love of the Heavenly Father that we have experienced through Jesus. 

A closing question for you to think about: Are you really willing to give up everything you have, your car, your job, your house, your family, even your own life for the sake of the gospel?

Jesus gave up everything so you could have an eternal hope and peace. Are you willing to give up everything you have in this world so that others can have that eternal hope and peace as well? 

We as his disciple must fight to never lose sight of the urgency and immediacy of Jesus' mission.

You're alone in that sin: A lie from the devil!

You’re alone: one of the biggest lies by which the devil uses to keep us entangled in sin and deep in shame.

Would anyone understand if I confessed?

Why would I confess when everyone would just think less of me?

Lies, lies and more lies: I was not alone!

For over two years I believed that lie.

For over two years I walked in hidden sin.

For over two years no one knew who I truly was.

On the outside I put up a front. On the inside I was rotting, decaying and falling apart.

Yes, I professed to be a believer when I was 7.

Yes, I knew all the right answers.

Yes, I was known as a “godly” leader amongst my peers.

But, I was the only one who truly knew what was going on inside of me.

It was depressing and lonely.

And each time I clicked that link or deleted that web history, I felt emptier.

I felt as if I was alone.

That no one would understand.

That I would be thought of as less.

Lies, lies, and more lies: I was not alone!

I couldn’t take it anymore.

I knew I couldn’t keep living two separate lives.

I was no longer clicking on that link because of desire or want. It was a habit.

A habit that I had did not want anymore.

But my pride was still getting in the way.

One morning, I decided to push that pride to the side.

I decided to not believe the lies of the devil.

But to believe the promises of God’s Word.

1 Peter 3:18, “For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that He might bring us to God. Being put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the Spirit.”

Christ suffered once for my sins.

The sins that I keep giving into were the reason Jesus CHOSE to die for me.

The sinless creator of the world died for my sinful soul.

Each click, each lustful thought or action that I gave into were the reasons Jesus was spit upon, mocked, whipped and crucified.

Instead of thanking Jesus, I was turning my back on him.

Instead of thanking Jesus, I was saying I know better than the sustainer of the universe.

When I confessed my sins, all the lies of Satan were proved wrong.

I wasn’t alone.

The only one that was alone was Jesus as hung upon the cross.

The only one that was alone was Jesus as he endured the wrath for all of my lust, pride and lies.

I wasn’t condemned or looked down upon.

I was lifted up and encouraged by brothers and sisters.

I was surrounded by people who were struggling and fighting the same temptations of the world that I faced.

I wasn’t alone.

Satan wants to make us think we’re alone.

Satan wants to make us think no one will understand.

But they are lies: You are not alone!

In reality, it’s quite the opposite.

The devil uses the same tricks and the same snares to entice all human beings.

No human being is alone.

Don’t believe that lie anymore.

“No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man…” (1 Corinthians 10:13)

“If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth…But…if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:6,9)

Will you hold back when Jesus calls?

Today I began David Platt's new book, "Follow me: A call to die. A call to live." I've already been encouraged after the intro and first chapter and highly recommend it. During the first chapter Platt quotes Oswald Chamber's from his devotional "My Utmost for His Highest."  It challenged me and provoked me that I just had to share it here. Read the following, and I pray it encourages you to live the life God is calling you to live:

"Suppose God tells you to do something that is an enormous test of your common sense, totally going against it. What will you do? Will you hold back? If you get into the habit of doing something physically, you will do it every time you are tested until you break the habit through sheer determination.  And the same is true spiritually, Again and again you will come right up to what Jesus wants, but every time you will turn back at the true point of testing, until you are determined to abandon yourself to God in total surrender….

Jesus Christ demands the same unrestrained, adventurous spirit in those who have placed their trust in Him….If a person is ever going to do anything worthwhile, there will be times when he must risk everything by his leap in the dark.  In the spiritual realm, Jesus Christ demands that you risk everything you hold on to or believe through common sense, and leap by faith into what He says.  Once you obey, you will immediately find that what He says is as solidly consistent as common sense.

By the test of common sense, Jesus Christ’s statements may seem mad, but when you test them by the trial of faith, your finding will fill your spirit with the awesome fact that they are the very words of God. Trust completely in God, and when He brings you to a new opportunity of adventure, offering it to you, see that you take it.  We act like pagans in a crisis—only one out of an entire crowd is daring enough to invest his faith in the character of God."

My Top Ten Books of 2012

I just wanted to share briefly what books have challenged, encouraged me and taught me the most this past year. I'd encourage you to pick up any one of these books and be encouraged in your walk with him. I've included a paragraph after each title to share a little about what the book is about and why I loved it. Also included is a link to Amazon where you can purchase the book. I pray that you would be encouraged by these books for they have certainly challenged me immensely in my walk this past year!

1. Gospel Wakefulness - Jared Wilson
I think the reason this book hit home with me so much is that I saw myself throughout the pages. There were countless testimonies that pointed to Jesus and the work of the Holy Spirit in people's lives. Jared Wilson talks a lot about how we are often not awake to the true depth of the gospel. A lot of times it takes someone hitting rock bottom in a sin or in a trial to fully grasp what Jesus did for you on the cross.  I've given this book out countless times and recommend every believer get a copy of this book and read it!

2. Kisses from Katie - Katie Davis
This was one of those books that I just couldn't put down. Katie's example of faith and willingness to follow Jesus no matter what was the main reason. Katie's selflessness and desire to help the neediest of people will challenge, convict and change the way you live life. Buy it, read it and emulate her example where you live!

3. Gospel Centered Discipleship - Jonathon Dodson
I've read this book twice in the last 12 months. The first chapter opens up with talking about how we often as believers we separate evangelism and discipleship. Jonathon does a great job explaining how believers should not only be looking to be discipled but also be seeking to discipling others, but as we do this we must always have the gospel central. Definitely worth your time to read.

4. Reckless Abandon - David Sitton
This book is another story of a missionary who worked in the unreached people groups of Papa New Guinea. David Sitton writes about his time there and how God moved and saved many people through the work of a few missionaries who obeyed Jesus words to "go and make disciples of all nations." If you like a book that will challenge you to reconsider the way you are living your life currently, this is a book that will do it!

5. One to One Bible Reading - David Helm
This is a short book that I read in two sittings. But it really helped me think through how to sit down one on one with another individual and study God's Word. It talks about sitting down with a non-believer, newer believer and a person who has been saved for a long time. This book has helped me immensely in the ministry that I've been doing in the public high schools!

6. When Helping Hurts - Brian Fikkert and Steve Corbett
Two professors at Covenant College came together to write about how churches and believers often have good intent in helping the poor and those in need. But in reality, we are doing more harm then we are doing good. They do an excellent job in bringing clarity in what truly is helping those in need and what the best way to come alongside them is!

7. Jumping Through Fires - David Nasser
I read this book in one night. David is now a pastor in Birmingham, Alabama but in this book he shares the story of his life. He shares how his family had to flee from Iran and how they finally came to live in America.  It's a powerful story of how God changed and saved the hearts of an entire devoted Iranian Islamic family.

8. Radical - David Platt
This is one of my favorite books of all time and a yearly read for me. I had the privilege of leading a group of teens through this in a 4-week book study. Not only did I see God use it to challenge the high school students who were reading it, I was freshly challenged again as I read through the pages for a 5th time. One review says that Platt shows, "God is in it for God’s glory, and we are given God’s grace so that we can multiply his image throughout the rest of the world. We are here to extend God’s glory, not simply enjoy the material rewards of grace and blessing."

9. The Cross and Christian Ministry - D.A. Carson
A book that was written a while ago. This was the first book I read in 2012 and was freshly provoked by the way Carson takes the first 4 chapters of 1 Corinthians and shares 9 key leadership lessons for ministry. While its directed towards leaders, Carson writes with every believer in mind. He reminds us that the cross of Christ must stay central in preaching and in Christianity as it is the transforming power from spiritual death to life, and Christian immaturity to maturity.

10. (2013) The Insanity of God - Nik Ripken
As I battled what to put for my tenth and final book, I couldn't get this book off my mind. Although it did come out this month in the year 2013, I decided to cheat a little and put it on this list. This book contains countless stories of persecuted Christians around the world. Nik Ripken (not his real name) worked in Somaliland for 6 years before having to pull out because of the war. As the back of the book says, "The ashes of Somalia led the Ripkens to travel around the world to listen to the stories of more than six hundred believers in over sixty countries." The stories in this book at times moved me to tears, but most of the time to praising God for his power amidst persecution. Buy this book, read this book, be challenged by this book and let God transform your heart to follow Him like these persecuted Christians.